403-888-5483

What Goes Where?

Calgary, AB, Canada

When you’re doing a renovation job, there’s three main places you’re going to send the waste: reuse, recycling, and the landfill. There’s a final category of disposal to be aware of as well: hazardous and environmentally damaging waste, which needs special disposal.

Reuse
We’ve talked about this before on our blog, but don’t forget that items from your project can often be reused!

  • Fixtures like sinks, taps, bathtubs
  • Appliances in working order
  • Lumber, untreated and intact
  • Some flooring, intact
  • Countertops
  • Cupboards
  • Bricks and masonry blocks

What You CAN Recycle

There’s likely more that can be recycled than you realize! Materials sent for recycling get reprocessed and turned into new, usable products. Here’s a sampling of what you can recycle, but be sure to check before tossing them in the bin!

  • Glass
  • Wood (untreated)
  • Metals and wires
  • Insulation
  • Cardboard and paper
  • Plastics

What You CAN’T Recycle

We don’t have space to list everything that doesn’t fit in the recycling category, but here’s a few key things to note:

  • Treated wood: Whether it’s pressure-treated, creosote-treated, painted, stained, or otherwise contaminated, this doesn’t get along with the recycling system! Depending on the treatment, some of this wood may need special disposal methods.
  • Mixed materials: usually mixed materials can’t be recycled because components can be too difficult for machinery to separate
  • Anything on the hazardous materials list

Hazardous Materials

If you’ve got these items coming out of your project, get in touch with us at Economy Waste: we’re well set up to help you decide how to appropriately dispose of them. Not sure? Give us a call anyway!

  • Asbestos-containing materials
  • Anything with lead paint
  • Creosote-treated timbers (commonly found on landscaping)
  • Surfaces with widespread mold
  • Anything with refrigerant (fridges, freezers, air conditioners)
  • Batteries, electronics, fluorescent lightbulbs, solvents, paints, finishes, adhesives…

If you’ve got a project on the go, call us today at 403-888-5483 for your waste and recycling bin delivery!